Use the Alphabet to Provide Great Casino Guest Service

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Learning the ABCs of great casino guest service is a good thing but casino employees can learn even more about customer service from the next three letters of the alphabet.

Annapolis, MD (PRWEB)June 12, 2006

Learning the ABCs of great casino guest service is a good thing but there’s more to it than that. Gaming industry consultant Robinson & Associates, Inc., recommends that casino employees learn even more about customer service from the next three letters of the alphabet.

“Every letter of the alphabet offers lessons in outstanding casino guest service if you put your mind to it,” says Martin R. Baird, chief executive officer of Annapolis, Md.-based Robinson & Associates, a global customer service consulting firm for the gaming industry. “There are plenty of words that start with the letters D, E and F that can help casinos raise their service to the next level.”

Letter D – Delight, Dependable and Determined.

“Casino employees with a customer service mind-set and the right attitude should be able to do these three things,” Baird says.

Delight. Delight all casino guests. “Make them feel as if they are the only person in the room, that your full attention is on them at all times and that you’re delighted to help them any way you can,” Baird explains. “Do that and your guests will leave feeling special and important. This is not a Herculean task. Just do the little things to the best of your ability every time and your guests will be delighted.”

Dependable. This word is important for two reasons. “First, you must be dependable on the job,” Baird notes. “Show up for work on time and prepared. Your co-workers, managers and guests are counting on you to be there and giving 110 percent. My other thought is that the words dependable and consistency go hand in hand. Guests want a dependable experience. They want to know they will be taken care of in a similar way each and every time they come to your casino. Guests expect that level of dependability.”

Determined. Guests will have a great experience if casino employees are determined to provide it. “Drive could be easily substituted for the word determined,” Baird says. “Make sure you have the qualities of determination and drive every day when you come on property.”

“These words offer lessons that range from the obvious, such as the benefits of teamwork, to the not so obvious – each employee’s role in the entertainment industry,” Baird says.

Every Employee. One employee or a few employees cannot provide a great gaming experience because it’s a team effort. “Every employee must pursue the goal of stellar guest service every day,” Baird recommends. “If one employee fails to pull their weight, that’s the employee who is remembered the most by the guest, the one the guest tells all their friends about. This may not be fair, but it’s a fact. Everyone must make a positive contribution to the cause.”

Exceptional. Guests come to a casino to have an exceptional experience. “Not just good, not just fair, not just OK,” Baird explains. “They want to be wowed. Remember that they sometimes lose money. That makes it even more difficult for you to make sure something exceptional happens for them. You have to work a little harder.”

Expectations. When it comes to guest service, this word is huge because guests have high expectations. “They want to be entertained, they want to win lots of money and, by the way, this all must happen while they’re having fun,” Baird says. “You must manage these expectations of outstanding guest service as well as provide it, live up to it and exceed it.”

Entertainment. Casino employees may not have thought about this, but they’re in the entertainment business. “People go to casinos to be entertained,” Baird points out. “You as an employee are part of the entertainment, as are the tables, the restaurant, the hotel and the lounge act. It really is easy to smile, be part of the show and entertain your guests. You’re not just there to deliver drinks or to say keno. You are there as part of the entertainment. So be an entertainer.”

Letter F – Fake It and Friendship.

“These words may not seem like they relate to guest service, but they do,” Baird says.

Fake It. Even though casino employees are in the entertainment, hospitality and gaming business, they still have to fake it sometimes. “There are days when you’re tired,” Baird notes. “You didn’t sleep well. It’s raining and you feel a little down. You don’t want to smile. On those days, you must knuckle down and fake it. Fake it until you can put a real smile on your face.”

Friendship. Providing great guest service can create lifelong friendships. “Friendships with co-workers and players can be enduring,” Baird says. “For some of your guests, those are the friendships that keep them going because you are like family to them.”

Robinson & Associates, Inc., is a global customer service consulting firm for the gaming industry. It helps casinos determine their Advocate Index, a number that indicates the extent to which properties have guests who are willing to be advocates. The company then implements its Advocate Development System in combination with the proven methodology of Advocate Index and best business practices to help casinos create more guest advocates and chart a course for growth and profitability.